Effects of prophylactic knee bracing on patellar tendon loading parameters during functional sports tasks in recreational athletes

Purpose This study investigated the efects of prophylactic knee bracing on patellar tendon loading parameters. Methods Twenty recreational athletes (10 male and 10 female) from diferent athletic disciplines performed run, cut and single leg hop movements under two conditions (prophylactic knee brace/no-brace). Lower extremity kinetics and kinematics were examined using a piezoelectric force plate and three-dimensional motion capture system. Patellar tendon loading was explored using a mathematical modelling approach, which accounted for co-contraction of the knee lexors. Tendon loading parameters were examined using 2 (brace) × 3 (movement) × 2 (sex) mixed ANOVAs. Results Tendon instantaneous load rate was signiicantly reduced in female athletes in the run (brace 289.14 BW/s no-brace 370.06 BW/s) and cut (brace 353.17 BW/s/no-brace 422.01 BW/s) conditions whilst wearing the brace. Conclusions Female athletes may be able to attenuate their risk from patellar tendinopathy during athletic movements, through utilization of knee bracing, although further prospective research into the prophylactic efects of knee bracing is required before this can be clinically substantiated

Effects of second-generation and indoor sports surfaces on knee joint kinetics and kinematics during 45° and 180° cutting manoeuvres, and exploration using statistical parametric mapping and Bayesian analyses

Purpose: The aim of the current investigation was to examine the influence of second generation (2G) and indoor surfaces on knee joint kinetics, kinematics, frictional and muscle force parameters during 45° and 180° change of direction movements using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) and Bayesian analyses. Methods: Twenty male participants performed 45° and 180° change of direction movements on 2G and indoor surfaces. Lower limb kinematics were collected using an eight-camera motion capture system and ground reaction forces were quantified using an embedded force platform. ACL, patellar tendon and patellofemoral loading was examined via a musculoskeletal modelling approaches and the frictional properties of the surfaces were examined using ground reaction force information. Differences between surfaces were examined using SPM and Bayesian analyses. Results: Both SPM and Bayesian analyses showed that ACL loading parameters were greater in the 2G condition in relation to the indoor surface. Conversely, SPM and Bayesian analyses confirmed that patellofemoral/ patellar tendon loading alongside the coefficient of friction and peak rotational moment were larger in the indoor condition compared to the 2G surface. Conclusions: This study indicates that the indoor surface may improve change of direction performance owing to enhanced friction at the shoe-surface interface but augment the risk from patellar tendon/ patellofemoral injuries; whereas the 2G condition may enhance the risk from ACL pathologies